Water Treatment

RPS is at the forefront of potable water engineering as part of infrastructure development in Ireland. Our service centres on a full 'source to tap' approach from strategic planning to end user delivery.

We bring our expertise to clients in strategic planning and risk management, focusing particularly on feasible and sustainable strategies in developing water plans.

RPS has undertaken strategic development plans for populations from 1,000 to over 2 million, in projects from 5 Ml/d to 600 Ml/d. This has included major urban centres in Ireland, catering for expanding domestic and industrial demands. We provide planning, engineering and environmental assessment for source selection, abstraction, treatment, distribution networks, storage, water conservation, demand management and rehabilitation of underground and above ground assets.

RPS has developed a special expertise in public health and sustainability aspects of water resources, making us a leader in process technology developments, for example in cryptosporidium, THM and taste/odour removal. We have initiated and implemented guidance and strategies for sustainable sludge treatment and management, SCADA and telemetry control development, energy conservation, HAZCON / HAZOP and regulatory safety implementation.

We employ recognised experts in the various areas of potable water service from strategic planners to risk managers, modellers, hydrologists, process designers, civil, hydraulic and mechanical / electrical engineers. We combine these with asset management planners and network development experts, enabling us to develop comprehensive asset management based plans, focused on performance of existing assets and their upgrading for future needs. We have developed national guidance documentation for Strategic Water Plans and for water sector PPP projects and piloted PPP procurement for potable water. RPS has also pioneered developments in water conservation, network modelling and rehabilitation of older networks to achieve lower leakage targets, improve service standards and control of operation.

Case Studies

Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant

Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant

Dublin City Council / Irish Water

The Ballymore Eustace Plant is Ireland's largest water treatment plant.

The facility serves Dublin, Kildare, Dún-Laoghaire and South Dublin with more than 300 mega litres of water daily (Ml/d). The development has a 400 Ml capacity and is the culmination of a 30 year plan designed to provide Dublin with a state of the art, cost effective water supply. The plant is not only capable of meeting the current demands, it provides for the needs of the greater Dublin area for the medium term until a longer term new source is developed post 2020.

There has been a treatment plant at Ballymore Eustace since the 1940's, which was expanded six times until the 1980's, but the developments were not integrated and RPS was engaged to assist in long term masterplanning and delivery of a modern integrated facility. RPS has been providing planning, design and engineering services on this project since 2002.

Our approach in relation to the planning, implementation and design had to be highly innovative due to the environmentally sensitive location of the plant and the need to maintain an uninterrupted water supply to the city. Our solution was to rebuild the plant on a phased basis – shutting down the old facilities in a staged process as the new elements came online.

The plant combines the robust engineering required of a national strategic asset with innovative value engineering approaches resulting in real whole life cost value for the current utility provider, Irish Water. Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant was awarded the 2015 Excellence Award in Civil Engineering by the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI).

Clareville Water Treatment Plant

Clareville Water Treatment Plant

Limerick County Council

Ireland

Clareville is Limerick City's water treatment plant and is located on the banks of the River Shannon.

RPS, as part of a joint venture, was appointed as Client’s Representative for the final stage of the development of the plant – a DBO Contract to upgrade the plant from 50 Ml/d capacity to 115 Ml/d capacity.

This project has now been developed to provide an ultra-modern treatment plant capable of supplying the Limerick Region for the next 20 years under a DBO contract with Veolia Water Ireland. RPS has also overseen major development of the region’s supply network, developed the water conservation plan, overseen district metering, non domestic metering, lead services replacement pilot scheme and operator training on leak detection, GIS and modeling tools.

Dublin Region Watermains Rehabilitation

Dublin Region Watermains Rehabilitation Project

Dublin City Council

Ireland

This project is a key element of the ongoing strategy to conserve water and improve service to customers across the Dublin region.

This project is a key element of the ongoing strategy to conserve water and improve service to customers across the Dublin region.

It is intended to underpin a sustainable reduction in leakage in the region towards 20% of water input. It is the largest rehabilitation project ever undertaken in Ireland and one of the first leakage driven mains renewal projects implemented in Europe, with a capital cost of €120m.

It is the largest rehabilitation project ever undertaken in Ireland and one of the first leakage driven mains renewal projects implemented in Europe, with a capital cost of €120m. Upon completion in 2014, it is anticipated that 240km of watermain will have been rehabilitated, primarily by trenchless techniques in 7 separate Local Authorities – Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Wicklow, Bray and Kildare.

Mooncoin Regional Water Supply Scheme

Mooncoin Regional Water Supply Scheme

Kilkenny County Council

Mooncoin Regional Water Supply Scheme is one of the largest water supply schemes in County Kilkenny.

RPS was appointed by Kilkenny County Council in 2006 to produce a preliminary report on the necessary improvements to the water supply scheme to cater for future demand (to 2031). The scope of work was later extended to include a dedicated supply of water to service the Belview Strategic Industrial Park.

Our preliminary report identified a significant groundwater source with a sustainable yield of 16,000 m3/day. Our team then prepared the EIS (planning approval was granted in early 2009), completed the detailed design, and procured and supervised both the well development and works contracts. Construction was completed in late 2010.

This project has had important strategic benefit for the region by alleviating the pressure on the domestic supply and allowing for future housing development in the region. It has also facilitated the development of water-intensive industry at Belview Industrial Park, such as the new €180m dairy processing facility opened by Glanbia Ingredients in 2015.